"Mosquito"

Singer/songwriter J. Micah Nelson makes music as Particle Kid, and he's been living and breathing art and music for practically all of his young life as he's the son of Willie Nelson. Pedigree aside, his songs speak to his talent, as proved by the first single from the Southern California artist's forthcoming Shapes EP (out August 28 on Teaching Machine). Aptly, "Mosquito"—which was performed and recorded entirely by Nelson in a yellow, solar-powered van he's named "Vincent Van Gogh"—opens with a buzzing caterwaul of electronic noise and flitting violin. But the growing nuisance soon flies away, and is replaced with lively strums, handclaps, and a growling bass synth. Nelson's nasally, Jeff Mangum-esque voice is woven into the playful instrumentation as he offers the bug his blood before warning it to "please fuck off!" After returning one last time to its strangely moving sing-a-long chorus, the three-minute ditty ends with the loud smacking sound of Nelson killing off the inspiration for his oddball ballad exactly in the way that he promised.